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Alli's cheeks turn faintly pink as she looks away, staring into her coffee like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. “It’s nothing. I just… didn’t realize you two were so chummy.”

“You didn’t know? You seem awfully interested.”

“Not really,” she says, brushing it off, but her voice freezes just a fraction. “I mean, he’s nice and all. I just didn’t expect… that.”

I smirk, sensing her discomfort. “So, what’s the deal with Ethan? You into him or what?”

Her eyes widen. “N-no! It’s just… he’s… I don’t know. I guess I’m just surprised.”

I laugh softly, catching the hint of unease in her voice, but I don’t let up. “Alright, alright. But if you like him, maybe you should talk to him more. A simplehiwould do.”

“It’s not that simple.” She says as her face turns a deeper shade of red, and she avoids my gaze.

I lean in slightly, eyebrow cocked. “Oh, now you’ve got me curious. Explain.”

She hesitates, then slowly exhales, arms crossed tightly over her chest—as per usual. “I’m not the same girl I was before.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I used to be… confident. But since I moved here, it’s like I don’t even recognize myself anymore. My confidence just… disappeared, and I don’t know how to get it back.” She pauses, lets her arms free, and her fingers skim the rim of her cup in slow circles. “Even if I wanted to get to know him, I’d probably just freeze up and end up babbling like an idiot.”

I breathe in, then smirk doubtfully. “So, you’re saying you’ve lost your touch?”

She gives an embarrassed shrug. “Something like that.”

I nod slowly, leaning in a little closer, my voice dropping to almost a whisper. “You know, if talking to him is really that tough, maybe we can make it work for both of us.”

I see her invisible antennas going off. “What are you talking about?”

I take a sip of my coffee, weighing my words carefully. “What if we pretend to be dating?”

She blinks. “Fake date each other? Why?”

I set my cup down slowly, my grin growing by the second. “Just hear me out. You need practice talking to guys, right? I can help. We pretend to date for a bit. You get the hang of it, and who knows? Maybe that confidence of yours comes back.”

Alli’s brows snap together, her face full of skepticism while letting out a quiet huff. I simply arch a brow in response. “Wait, you’re serious?”

“Totally,” I reply with a grin. “It’s a win-win situation. You get to ease into talking to Ethan without the pressure, and I get a break from the constant attention. We can come up with a story, make it believable, and keep it lowkey. We’ll call it quits before winter break. By that time, you and Ethan will be buddy-buddy, and he’ll be right there to comfort you through our tough breakup.”

She leans back, her expression unreadable. “And you really think this will work?”

“Why not?” I shrug nonchalantly. “It’s not like we have anything to lose. And if it helps us both out, then it’s worth a shot.”

Alli’s eyes narrow as she mulls it over, then she just laughs in my face. “You’re actually serious.”

“Deadass.”

“Jared, it wouldn’t work.”

“Why not?” I shoot back, crossing my arms. “It’s foolproof.”

Alli laughs again and starts packing up her things. “The reason this”—she waves a hand between us—“wouldn’t work isbecausewedon’t work well together. We tried, or at least, I tried.”

“Allison…”

She stands, throwing her bag over her shoulder. “It’s just… too complicated. We’re too complicated.”

I feel a hit of something… regret? Frustration? But I push it down before it can take hold.